quad

quadrangle

Rectangular open space completely or partially enclosed by buildings of an academic or civic character. The grounds of a quadrangle are often grassy or landscaped. Such an area, intended as an environment for contemplation, study, or relaxation, was a feature of monastic establishments and the colleges that evolved from them. The quadrangular layout at New College in Oxford University (completed 1386), with its partially connected buildings, was enormously influential in subsequent collegiate building.

Technology

Quad precision, a number stored using 16 eight-bit bytes, which is four times the size of 4-byte single precision

Quad Electroacoustics, a British manufacturer of electronic amplifiers, tuners and loudspeakers mainly for the high-end domestic market

Quad, an abbreviation for a type of videotape recorder, especially 2" Quadruplex videotape, where there are four record heads on a spinning drum which move perpendicular to the direction of tape travel

Quad, telecommunication term referring to four conductors formation used to form two balanced pairs

Star quad, four conductors in square formation, in which opposite conductors are connected in parallel at both ends to form a single, magnetically-concentric balanced pair, in order to minimise magnetic induction